The invention relates to filters for ductless range hoods.
Range hoods are employed above kitchen stoves and ranges to draw off the smoke and cooking effluent contained in the discharges produced during cooking. A ducted range hood discharges the fumes through a duct to the outside of the house. A ductless range hood passes the cooking discharges through a filter and returns the filtered air back to the kitchen.
Ductless range hoods are easier and more economical to install than ducted hoods since they avoid the expense of the ductwork. However, to achieve effective and efficient operation, the design of ductless range hoods becomes more critical than ducted hoods. For example, on the one hand it is desired to move a large volume of air through the range hood to capture all the discharges from the range. On the other hand, smaller volume air flow through the filter may be preferred to obtain effective filtration by the filter. The size of particles in cooking discharges range from large grease particles to small smoke particles of less than one micron in diameter. These and other considerations have caused significant difficulty in designing a suitable filtering arrangement.
There exists a need for improved performance in ductless range hoods, particularly in the effectiveness of filtration. The present invention addresses this need and provides a filter of enhanced effectiveness and efficiency in filtering action and construction.